The Strangest Feeling
by zzz1266
Summary: Oliver Wood...two words I associate with ‘Blockhead’ and ‘Imbecile’
1. Chapter 1

_Oliver Wood_

Two words I associate with 'Blockhead' and 'Imbecile'. The devil's right hand man, the epitome of annoyance, bringer of all things destructive, in '_The Katie Bell Thesaurus' _he would be the perfect synonym for all these words.

O.k., so maybe I'm exaggerating just a little, let me elaborate on our situation. Both Muggle born and raised on a seedy little street in Islington, went to the same primary school, hated each other then, hate each other now. He's the boy that pushed you into the mud, that dipped your pigtail into the pot of paint, that cackled at your show and tell. I have a fond memory of the teacher inadvertently partnering us up for a science experiment on friction: simply seeing how fast different trainers went down a slope of sandpaper. He managed to have my trainer on fire by the end of it.

When I received my letter from Hogwarts, aside from shock and bewilderment, my first thought was 'Goodbye Oliver Wood', I had finally escaped the clutches of Satan. You can imagine my utmost horror when I bumped into him on the Hogwarts Express, well replace the words 'bumped into' with 'repeatedly hit' and then you get an idea of the scene. I will never forgive him for ruining my fairytale: being whisked away from North London to a magical castle, then fate had to plonk the dirty rascal into it. Wait, it gets worse.

We were both sorted into Gryffindor, joined by a girl called Alicia Spinnet. My best friend…his best friend: the only thing we have in common, but catch me on a good day and I'll grudgingly admit we share an interest in Quidditch. Ahhh…yes _Quidditch. _Somehow the world worked its magic, the jigsaws slid into place and I became a chaser on the Gryffindor team and he became Captain…_Captain_. He finally had a valid excuse to boss me around. The most annoying thing about that bludger-headed boy is he's all Johnny Quidditch and Mr Serious when it comes to the sport, somehow I manage to bring out the jack ass in him.

I share a best friend, a sport, a school, a building, a home – _my life_ with him. Its not as if I ever have a break, when I go home for the summer holidays he only lives two doors down. He has to come over and talk about Quidditch or, I swear, he'll explode.

When I want to have a girly chat with Alicia, there he is grinning sheepishly , waiting for an opportunity to make a smart ass comment, or engage in one of our famous _'Katie and Oliver: Battle of the Sexes.' _We're the modern day Beatrice and Bendick- and look how they turned out. Remember how I said it gets worse, it did-it's gone haywire.

It's the strangest feeling when the thought of kissing someone repulses you, but at the same time makes your knees weaken. When you see them you want to give them a good wallop around the head but then hug them as well.

O.k.…O.k., I admit it! Me Katie Sandra Bell, sworn enemy of Oliver Lewis Wood has a crush on her nemesis. 'How?' do you ask, I have no idea. I've seen him puke, fart, pick his nose and bite his nails. The fact it's a _completely_ forbidden crush doesn't help, it only makes it grow, and what, if for some insane reason I conquer and survive the rocky path into Wood's arm? Not only would it be the movement of the century, what kind of situation would it leave Alicia in? Her two best friends often see pulling each others hair, now kissing in the corridor. Crikey.

I can't talk about it to Alicia and I have a truly horrible feeling that all these strange feelings are going to get bottled up and the next time I see Wood…I'll end up mauling him.

'Katie!'

Here comes Alicia, bounding up the dormitory stairs.

'Mmm…' I mumbled, my way of saying 'Yes, what d'you want?'

'You know that favour, you owe me?' she asked sweetly. How could I forget? Who ever scores the most in a Quidditch practice has the other one at their service, unfortunately today I was distracted by Wood and played awful.

'Mmm…'

'It's not even remotely bad! Nowhere near as awful as the Madam Hooch dare'

'Mmm…'

The Madam Hooch dare has gone down in legend.

'I left my trainers in the changing rooms, its quarter to six…you still have fifteen minutes,' she said. I fell limp and pretended to fall asleep, but was met by a whack from a pillow.

'C'mon! You'll only have to face Oliver!'

After every practise, without fail, he stays for a good half hour to go through his tedious tactics.

'But I'll be there for hours! I guarantee you, we'll still be there in the morning arguing over which Quidditch team is the best or something pathetic like that!' I groaned.

'Shut-up and get on with it!'

'Urghh…fine!' I purposely stamped the floor with my feet, leaving Alicia in a fit of giggles.

Typical, absolutely typical.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Arrgh! I have not updated in yonks! I am very very sorry, gets on knees and grovels- hopefully this chapter will make up for it! Updates will definitely be more frequent as my plans for this story are more concrete than they were. O.K. Many thanks to all reviewers, they were bloody lovely! Some of them really made me chuckle. Also thanks to the very acute Jillie who pointed out that Wood doesn't know what basketball is and is therefore unlikely to be a muggle born. I quite literally smacked my head in realisation. Just imagine that Wood is very ignorant to the muggle sporting world ;-) Also, point out any technical errors as I'm really trying to crack down on the bastards! Anywho, I really do hope you enjoy this chapter! P.S It might be a good idea to read the first chapter again to refresh your memory!**

* * *

A couple of minutes later I arrived at the changing room door. Ok… go in, grab the trainers, maybe exchange a bit of witty chit chat; some violence on my part….fine…simple…_excellent. _If only it was that easy. 

I opened the door and there he was, as expected. He looked dead surprised…wait a minute…he was getting changed… he seemed to be missing a pair of trousers. _Ahh!_ I slammed the door shut and fell flat against it.

'Nice one Katie…_fantastic _start,' I muttered already feeling the redness spreading across my cheeks. Ok, time for take two, I attempted to regain what was left of my composure and re-entered. This time he had his arms crossed and was glaring straight at me. Short and ruffled brown hair, hazel eyes, all items of clothing present… a taller, older, muscular version of that gawky kid I knew a few years ago.

'You know you could never pull off an evil glare,' I smirked, quickly scanning the small square room for Alicia's trainers.

'You never learnt how to knock…some times people do actually get changed in changing rooms you know Bell,' he said in his light, sarcastic tone I had grown so accustomed to, after all, I was usually the person on the receiving end of it. I eyed the trainers on a bench next to what looked like a greying pair of boxers.

'Nice to know you've learnt something in this school…_Wood_,' I shot back, first names were taboo when we engaged in conversation.

I brushed past him, trying to ignore the tingling sensation that had recently started to accompany any contact with Wood. I prodded him as I passed and received a prod back in reply. I prodded him again, the he prodded me and before I knew it, we were engaged in some bizarre prodding dance.

'Hey hey hey…get off…I'm a girl on a mission,' I growled, pushing him away, he continued to grin idiotically at me.

'A mission for what exactly?' he said pryingly.

'Ever seen a pair of these?' I said, holding up the trainers, or what I thought were trainers.

'Boxers? As a matter of fact…'

'Eurgh!' I threw them down: I don't usually make a habit of attracting the opposite sex with male underwear. Before I embarrassed myself even more I grabbed the trainers and left Wood in fits of laughter.

'See you tomorrow Bell,' he snickered.

'I hope not!'

Well of course that's not entirely true. I hoped I did see him tomorrow…everyday in fact.

Overall that whole visit didn't go to badly, I _didn_'t end up mauling him, that's the same Oliver Wood that broke my Barbie, that stole my chocolate cookie, that…Argh! Who am I kidding? I wanted to kiss him every time he opened his mouth!

* * *

I quickly headed back to the dormitory- Hogwarts had become very creepy since the dementors had started to hung about. I expected to find Alicia snoozing, even though it was six o'clock, that girl could sleep for England, but she was sitting in one of the armchairs, filing her nails, with a smirk on her face. 

'Here are your trainers,' I muttered, throwing them onto her lap, she looked up at me and beamed scarily.

'You look a bit…_flushed._' She grinned, carefully spreading the emphasis on every syllable.

Uh-oh…think Katie think. Alicia may look perfectly innocent to the naïve eye, curled up in her pink pyjamas and preening her nails. However, under that brunette pony tail and behind those green eyes worked a crafty, subtle, sharp- as- a- razor-and-don't-you-know-it type of brain.

'It's a bit chilly outside, you can never tell with September,' I said, trying to sound casual. Though I have never used the word 'chilly' in my life and my voice seemed to surpass all realms of a normal pitch. Alicia's smirk grew wider.

'Is that the only reason?'

Oh my goodness she knew!

'Why what ever do you mean Alicia?' I said sweetly.

'Oh…nothing…' she continued tending to her nails, with her 'I-can-read-your-mind' look still planted on her face.

Phew…

'Y'know Sally Mckliggon has a huge crush on Oliver,' she said casually, flicking at a wayward hang nail.

Sally Mc- who? What kind of name is that? _Sally_: the kind of name you would hear in a cheesy musical.

'Who- I mean... so… who cares?'

'Just thought…' She looked directly at me and her eyes seemed to twinkle unnervingly.

I held my breath.

'Just thought you needed some new material to poke him with'

'I'll keep that in mind,' I said, mentally sighing with relief- she had spared me. And then, just when I thought I was off the hook, Wood stumbled into the room.

* * *

You know that very tense, insecure feeling when something is supposed to be said but hasn't been and it hangs delicately in the air, waiting to be uttered. Everyone knows about it, everyone knows the other is thinking it and how ever much we try to hide it, it still manages to surface, becoming blatantly obvious to the unsuspecting. That was the situation in the common room: Alicia was enjoying it immensely, I was contemplating jumping out of the window and Wood was blissfully oblivious. 

'What? Is there something in my hair?' said Wood in response to my face of mild horror and Alicia's unwavering grin. Unfortunately with age comes the inevitable phase of vanity, which Wood had welcomed with open arms.

'It's definitely an improvement,' I commented, eyeing the top of his head and finding solace in his rising paranoia. He blundered about in search of a reflection but stopped mid action and turned to me.

'Wait…you're just playing around with me!' he said, trying to cover up the franticness of his response.

'Believe me it was _too_ easy…'

'Y'know, I seem to remember the last time we met you were waving some very charming Y-fronts in front of my face,' he replied, squaring up his shoulders and taking a few steps towards me so that he was an arms reach away. Crikey…wobbly knees…in front of Oliver, _oh blimey_.

A very forced yawn broke the effect of our steely gazes and we both turned to Alicia who was over seeing our contest with great amusement.

'Well you two, I would _love_ to watch you bite each others heads off, but I'm quite knackered'. There was that forced yawn again. 'Good night'. She strode off towards the stairs. I turned back to him.

'You know, I think I'll join her'.

I turned on my heel and walked away as slickly as my limbs now turned jelly could carry me.

'Wow, bedtime at ten past six, should I come and read you a story?'

Was there a subliminal message in that? Perhaps an undertone for an invitation? No, don't be stupid Katie, just keep walking…almost there.

'I would…but you're reading age of four might spoil it a bit,' I shot back. Ouch. That didn't feel as satisfying as it usually did. At least it shut him up, but it sounded like a _pained_ silence: feeling _guilty _because of Oliver Wood? Things can only get worse…

* * *

**A/N**

**Try saying blissfully oblivious five times in quick succession…It's not easy :-/**


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